A delegation from Singapore, including staff from the Institute of Adult Learning and members of the Adult Educator Professionalisation Scheme, visited Pacific Homecare to explore effective learning and assessment practices used in the award-winning* Pacific Pathways Programme.
On a study trip to observe international best practices in adult education in both New Zealand and Australia, the group was visiting as part of Singapore’s SkillsFuture initiative, launched in 2015 to provide Singaporeans with opportunities to develop their fullest potential throughout life, regardless of their starting points.
During the visit to Pacific Homecare, the group was formally welcomed with a Turou, before sitting in on a session of Pacific Pathways with student-Support Workers and their tutors from The Learning Wave, Pacific Homecare’s learning and development partner of the programme.
Eager to observe and ask questions about our approach to workplace learning programmes, the AE Professionals had no shortage of questions to ask. There was no shortage of answers either, as our team and wonderful students were able to respond to each question enthusiastically.
Q&A covered the importance of English-language learning and cultural awareness, training delivery, curriculum development and assessment.
Ms Renee Tan, Deputy Director of the Institute for Adult Learning, praised Pacific Pathways for the way Support Workers were taught skills for the job, as well as lifelong skills like communication. She commended how the programme encouraged compassion from Support Workers, reflective of organisational culture.
For her, combining natural Singaporean professionalism with Pacific love and care to find the perfect balance was food for thought, stating the group have gained valuable insight to help them improve.
The Learning Wave’s Martin McKessar agreed that in order to have a strong workforce, a company needed to innovate, change and adapt.
“That whole change, innovation, flexibility of a workforce is critical in today’s world, because how we did the job yesterday is no longer good enough.”
Buay Choo Tang, an AE Professional, says she found her visit to Pacific Homecare extremely helpful and interesting.
“The experience has been eye-opening both culturally and learning-wise. What I really liked was the rapport between the students learning through the Pacific Pathways and their tutor.”
Pacific Homecare’s literacy training initiatives date back to 2012. For 92% of the staff, English is spoken as a second language. This presented a challenge in communicating the vision and values of Pacific Homecare, as well as building consistency and the capability to deliver a high standard of service.
Lifting staff literacy and numeracy levels was prioritised to ensure on-going staff development. Pacific Homecare then partnered with The Learning Wave through funding from the Tertiary Education Commission to develop Pacific Pathways, designed to lift literacy across the board and ensure staff had sufficient foundation skills to obtain industry qualifications.
Results included an increase in the verbal reporting of client changes, improved observation skills, improved written reports, staff being self-motivated and eager to continue training, better self-esteem and interaction with other staff, increased client satisfaction and staff gaining more qualifications.
Pacific Homecare CEO Hamish Crooks is glad the Singaporean AE Professionals were able to gain an insight into the innovative way Pacific Pathways not only develops a strong team, but takes Support Workers on a journey towards fulfilling personal employment goals, as well as helping them to participate more in their children’s learning and in their community life.
*Pacific Pathways was the winner of the 2013 Diversity Awards NZ Skills Highway Award for workplaces which can show how they have helped improve their employees’ reading, maths and communication skills. It also won the New Zealand Home Health Association (NZHHA) Workforce Initiative Award in 2012, which recognises improvements to service delivery through workforce development.
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